The year 2013 has faded into history and it is the new dawn now!
For the working people of India, the year 2013 was a year of mass
actions and struggles. The year began with the countrywide preparation
for the historic 48 hour strike on 20th and 21st February. The strike,
at the call of all the eleven central trade unions and national
federations of various sections of employees and workers, was historic
in its sweep and participation. More than 12 crore workers from almost
all sectors of manufacturing, service etc. covering organized,
unorganized and self employed sections participated in the massive
strike action.
However, the approach and attitude of the Government at the center
continued to remain the same as during the last 4 years of joint
movement of all the central trade unions. But we all remember that
there was a small difference. On the eve of the strike, exactly 28
hours before the commencement of the strike, a Group of Ministers,
constituted by the Prime Minister had called the central T.U. leaders
for a discussion!
The whole year has gone, without even a meaningful discussion on the Ten
point Charter of Demands. These demands are the basic demands of the
crores and crores of ordinary masses of the country. This was
acknowledged even by the Prime Minister of the country.
Dr. Manmohan Singh, while inaugurating the 45th Indian Labour Conference
on 17th May 2013 said – “The recent two-day strike by trade unions
focused on a number of issues relating to the welfare not only of the
working class but also the people at large. These include demands on
which there can be no disagreement. For example, demands for concrete
measures for containing inflation, for generation of employment
opportunities, for strict implementation of Labour Laws, are
unexceptionable”.
He also said “there can however be differences
on the best ways of fulfilling these demands and we are willing to
engage constructively with the trade unions in this regard”!
Before acknowledging the justness of the demands, PM had also claimed
“our Government has paid very serious attention to the issues that Trade
Unions have raised time to time”!
We need not go into further details. What has been the result of
‘constructive engagement’, and ‘serious attention’ of the Government on
these ‘unexceptionable demands’ is well known.
On 22nd May, the Group of Ministers had asked for a month’s time for constructive discussion and we are still counting the days.
FOR A PROPER RESPONSE
It was this attitude that forced the Central Trade Unions to continue
the struggle and that phase has concluded with the massive March to
Parliament on 12th December.
The participation in the ‘March’
for exceeded the previous rally on 23rd February 2011. The anger among
the workers was fully reflected in the rallies and court arrest
programmes in September and the campaigns afterwards.
\The year 2013 also witnessed militant and massive struggles of various
sections of workers – men and women – on basic issues of livelihood.
There was not any section of workers, who have not been in struggle
during the year – strikes, demonstrations, rallies – at the work spot
level, local, state and national level as well.
There were innumerable struggles of working women also, during the year.
Anganwadi workers and helpers, ASHA workers, Midday Meal workers,
Artisans and traditional workers, plantation and beedi workers, women in
the service and financial sectors, government employees etc have all
been on the streets. They not only conducted militant struggles at the
state and national level on their own demands but have been a
significant part of all the CITU and joint trade union actions.
These struggles created an impetus for the united movement as well.
It was this anger and protest against the callous attitude of the
Government on the issues confronting the workers, that brought the lakhs
of men and women to the capital, braving the most unpleasant weather
conditions and arduous travel from different corners of the country. In
addition, lakhs of workers participated in the district level rallies
in various states on the same day.
The delegation of central T.U. leaders which met the Prime Minister and
the Defence Minister was not given any concrete assurance on the demands
of the workers. But the unions told the Government, rather, gave a
stern warning that – “the trade union movement cannot accept the present
state of inaction and indifference on the pressing demands of the
workers and people lying down and will heighten their united struggle in
the face of continuing unresponsiveness”.
Now, it is for the unresponsive government to act. Otherwise the working
people all over the country will have to give a fitting response to the
ruling class.
Already, the people all over the country are up in arms against the
Government. In the recent state assembly elections, the main ruling
party at the center, the Congress, has been punished by the people.
But the working people will have to be vigilant. The high decibel
campaign let loose by the corporates, both Indian and Multinational, to
project the leader of the highly divisive communal party, BJP, as the
alternative has to be met with a people oriented campaign putting
forward a set of alternate policies. The real character of the
corporate led campaign has to be thoroughly exposed.
OUR TASKS AHEAD
The task in the New Year, which is going to be the year of General
Elections, has to be this patriotic responsibility of mobilizing people
for upholding pro-people policies. Along with the issue of economic
policies, we have to mobilize people to safeguard the secular fabric of
the country which is being challenged by various communal forces.
In addition to these, for members of CITU, the coming year has to be the
year when we have to make all out efforts to fulfill the tasks
finalized by our 14th All India Conference.
It is not necessary to go into those issues again. But, the tasks of
increasing our membership, streamlining organizational activities at
various levels of our organization, taking up issues of social
oppression etc. have to be the priorities in the New Year.
Struggles on issues of unemployment, increasing disparities, denial of
democratic rights and attacks on the livelihood of working people are
finding more and more support all over the world. The machinations of
the imperialists are increasing and at the same time they are under
pressure from various sections. The New Year will witness more and more struggles and it is for the working people of the country to be well prepared for that.
For the millions of members of CITU, it is time to be prepared to be in
the forefront of all these struggles and to channelise them towards a
massive peoples movement, by “Reaching the unreached” and “Intensifying
class struggle for a change in the system!”
